


Your Song

by singingsweet



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 19:10:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10928193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/singingsweet/pseuds/singingsweet
Summary: They were strangers to each other, but their music connected them. A Madame de Garderobe x Maestro Cadenza origin story.





	Your Song

“Would you pay attention? I already regret bringing you.”

“Forgive me, signore.”

“You’d be lucky indeed if I chose to forgive you. Now, fix your hair. We’re almost there.”

Turning her face up to the moon as they walked along the canal, the young girl wondered what more he wanted her to do to her hair. Her thick curls were braided along the sides and pined into a neat bun with a ribbon running through her coils. Surely, she looked presentable?  Yet, one look at his disapproving face told her something quite the opposite. She took heart in that her dress was at least something to be proud of. It was a soft, second-hand, silk ensemble that had been repurposed for her, but it was now her most precious piece of clothing she owned. The blue of the cloth reminded her of the way the lagoon looked in the spring sun even if its matching shoes were a bit too big for her. She’d spent all last night in them doing her best to walk without falling out of their larger size. It wouldn’t do to complain to the master about the size being an issue when he’d already done so much in giving her this opportunity. Being among the number of his servants to see to the clothes of his household was still her responsibility, but she spent less time washing and darning his stockings now that he’d taken an interest in having her voice showcased. Tonight would be the first time that she performed outside of her master’s home and she hoped that her voice would be as pleasing to this party as it had been for the master and his family.

“Maria!” His sharp bark cut through the air as she was taken by the shoulder and shaken out of her thoughts. “Pay attention! You get yourself together or I’ll leave you here, do you understand me? You’ll be representing me tonight and I won’t have you make me look a fool. You know what will happen if you do, don’t you?”

The girl’s dark eyes were wide as she nodded. She knew only too well what should happen if she did something to cast shame upon her master. It had already happened once before.

“Do well and you may even be requested once again. Don’t touch anything and don’t speak. The master of this house is very possessive over his things and he won’t like it if a girl like you goes about touching all his well-earned possessions.”

She nodded her head and kept her eyes trained on the buckles of his shoes. It wouldn’t be much different from how she was expected to act at the house, only this time she would be among strangers. Her steps in her too-big shoes echoed his as they approached a door spilling out the sounds of a gathering. Laughter, talk, music – it was lively and lovely and Maria could feel excitement begin to rise in her chest as she followed her master into the home. The people here were dressed more finely than many of the visitors to her master’s home and as she looked down at the gown she’d been given, she saw it now for the rags it was. How had she ever thought the thing was beautiful? It was washed out and worn compared to these ladies who glittered. Just one of their outfits was worth more than what she’d earn in her entire life and she stared. Did they know their worth? 

“Antonello!”

“Vincenzo, good evening! I apologize for my lateness, it took a great deal longer to make her presentable than my servants had anticipated.” The men clapped each other on the shoulder as Maria did her best not to stare too longingly at a lady with the most beautiful fan she’d ever seen.

“It’s no matter, no matter. I’m just glad you were able to come at such short notice! If it weren’t for your girl, my son would be playing until his fingers snapped off. I don’t think he’d actually mind all that much, but I’d rather not have a fingerless son.”

“No, indeed. Well, go on, Maria, and relieve the young Maestro Cadenza.” With a push, she was released from his side. “Bring him a drink while you’re at it. A musician can’t live by his harpsichord alone.”

Cup in hand, Maria ducked beneath elbows and edged around skirts following the notes that rang out over the din of the party. The son of her master’s friend played well by her estimation. There was some halting, some misplayed notes, but on the whole, entirely pleasant to listen to. She could hear something in his playing – something that was more than the notes themselves and she felt herself walk a little faster in her big shoes to try and find him. It wasn’t often that she got to hear music like this and the glamour of the people faded in her eye as her feet found their way to the music. He was older than her by a handful if his height was any indication as she watched him move with his music. There was no sheet music before him on his harpsichord and he wasn’t even looking down at his hands as they flew across the keys. His eyes were closed and from her place at the doorway, it could have been as though he were alone. Maria approached him and gently cleared her throat, but the young man was so lost within his notes he didn’t hear her.

“Signore?” Her voice startled him into smashing the keys.

 “Look what you’ve made me do!” The older boy cried, outraged that his music had been so disrupted.

“I apologize, but I’ve been sent to relieve you – ”

“Relieve me?” His gaze narrowed at her and he spread his hands almost protectively over the instrument. “Are you to play my harpsichord?”

“No, I’m to sing. Your harpsichord is safe from me.” Maria watched as he rolled his eyes at her mention of singing.

“I don’t need to be relieved.”

“Your father insisted – ”

“I’m sure he did, but nevertheless, I do _not_ need to be relieved.”

“As you wish.”

With less than a moment to take in a breath, Maria began to sing over the top of the boy’s notes. The piece he played wasn’t meant as a duet, but with his attitude, she had no choice. She’d been sent for specifically to sing and it wouldn’t bode well if she didn’t not, especially as her master had given her a direct order. The thought of the punishment that would await her at home should she not comply with the task she’d been set was enough for her to defy the young man his simple wants. From the corner of her eye, she could see him glaring at her, but she needed to sing more than he needed to play. She had more at stake than he. Singing along to a song she was only slightly familiar with was a challenge, especially with how he was intentionally trying to throw her off the piece with his sudden bursts of speed and stretches of excruciating slowness. Still, she kept up as best she could, improvising strands of lyrics to weave through the piece to make it a bit more interesting. There were people gathering in the room to listen to her and this aspiring maestro, but her focus was on making music with him rather than noticing the quiet murmurs of the crowd. The tension in the boy seemed to ebb away as the song wore on and Maria wondered if that was a sign of his acceptance of her or if he’d just resigned himself to his fate. Was it possible that he was enjoying himself? Another quick glance at him told her that he was. The little grin on his face was unmistakable. The song came to a close and Maria hadn’t realized she’d been staring at him until he opened his eyes once more and beamed at her with applause showering over the both of them.

_“Another?”_

It would be halfway into their fifth song together that she’d feel her cheeks begin to ache with how her smile was matching his.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This has been in the making for the last couple of weeks and now I bring it to you! I absolutely love Madame de Garderobe and Maestro Cadenza and this is my attempt at contributing some content for them into the fandom. This WILL be a multi-chaptered story that will be doing some time jumps. In this chapter, she’s around 13/14 and he’s around 15/16 with the story taking place in Venice because that’s honestly where I imagine them having met if they’d met when they were younger! If you have any questions at all, please let me know!


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